Classic Poem

I am the man that affliction hath seen
By the rod of his wrath sorely scourged have I been
He hath turned against me like a vision of night
& led me to darkness & not into light
He turneth his hand against me all the day
My flesh & my skin he made old as a prey
He hath builded against me & broken my bones
I'm compassed with gall & travel & moans
He hath set me in places of darkness & cold
Like a being forgot as the dead are of old
He hath made my chain heavy & hedged me about
He hath shut out my prayer & I cannot get out
He hath enclosed all my ways with hewn heavy stone
& made all my paths both crooked & lone
He was unto me as a bear by the way
Or hideing in secret as a lion to slay
He pulled me in pieces my ways were all turned
Like a desolate being I sorrowed & mourned
I'm a mark for his arrow he bendeth his bow
& empties his quiver to pince me with woe
To my people I was a derision & prey
& their song was my sufferings all the long day
He hath filled me with bitterness trouble & thrall
& made me mad drunk both with wormwood & gall
With gravel stones also my teeth he hath broke
He hath covered me over with ashes & smoke
Thou took my souls peace in a desolate hour
I forgot my prosperity riches & power
& I said that my strength in the Lord now must sever
& my hopes in my God now are perished forever
Remembering mine afflictions my misery & thrall
Confinement persecution — the wormwood & gall
My soul hath them still in remembrance the pain
& is humbled within me to feel it again
This I recall to my mind & I sigh
Yet therefore have hope that the worst may be bye
It is of Gods mercies we are not consumed
Because his compassions fail not — yet entombed
His love seems to me in the desolate hours
Yet faith shall be new every morning like flowers
The Lord saith my soul is my portion & stay
Therefore he's my hope both by night & by day
The Lord he is good unto them that will wait
To the soul that will seek him both early & late
It is good that a man he should hope without friends
For the Lord of salvation to make him amends
It is good that a man bear the yoke of his youth
& endure persecution for the sake of the truth
He keepeth his silence & sitteth alone
Because he hath born it as a grief of his own
He hideth & putteth his mouth in the dust
If so that the Lord be his hope & his trust
He giveth his cheek to the smiter nor fears
He is filled with reproach at their insolent jeers
For his Lord & his God forsake him will never
& though he cause grief will not leave him for ever
He will have compassion — I am not affraid
For his mercies in multitudes come to our aid
He hurteth not willingly th' afflicted agen
Nor willingly grieveth the childern of men
To c[r]ush underfoot the imprisoned of earth
To turn aside the right of a man from his birth
To subvert a man in his cause or to blot
But his right the most high he approveth it not
Who saith & it cometh to pass in the sun
When the Lord he commandeth it not to be done
Out of Gods mouth it was ne'er understood
That mixture proceeded of evil & good
Wherefore doth a living man daily complain
When our sins they are punished rebukeing is vain
Let us search out our ways & to comfort accord
& turn us agen to the help of the Lord
Let us lift up our hearts & our hands unforgiven
Imploreing God the most high & the mercies of heaven
We have transgressed & rebelled against thee
Thou hast covered with anger — persecuted we flee
Thou hast not pardoned we seek thee again
Thou hast not pittied but smitten & slain
Thou hast covered thyself in the depth of a cloud
That our prayer should not pass or be heard uttered loud
In the midst of thy people — the great & the small
Thou hast made us the refuse offscouring of all
All enemies open their mouths to deride
Fear & snares are against us on every side
Desolation destruction hath left us no shore
With rivers of waters mine eyes runneth oer
For the destruction of the daughter of my people's renown
Without intermission my tears trickle down
Till the lord shall look down from the heavens & see
I mourn for my own citys daughters & me
Mine enemies chased me like a bird from its nest
My heart from its home & would give me no rest
They've cut off my life in the dungeon — to sever
& cast a stone on the door of my freedom forever
I said I'm cut off & my heart it felt dead
When waters & darkness flowed over mine head
From out the low dungeon I called on thy name
Thou heardest O Lord my petition & came
Hide not thine ear to my breathing & cry
Thou drawest near in the day that I thought I should die
" Fear not" was the voice when I called upon thee
Thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul & I'm free
Thou hast witnessed my wrongs & redeemed my life
Judge thou my cause thou hast witnessed the strife
Against me all their vengance thy wisdom hath seen
& thou knowest what their hidden immag[in]ings mean
The lips of all those who rose up in the fray
Their device against me is as clear as the day
Their reproaches thou hearest — when they sit down or rise
I am their music to scoff & despise
Render them Lord as their justice demands
A reccompence mete to the work of their hands
Give them sorrow of heart that may inly condemn
Be the hatred of heaven thy curse upon them
Persecute & destroy them as something abhored
From under the face of thy heaven O Lord